USA > Wisconsin > Wisconsin: comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form: > Part 28
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Sawyer, Philetus, was born in Whiting, Vt., Sept. 22, 1816 ; came to Wisconsin in 1817, locating in Walworth county, and removed to Oshkosh in 1849. He was a member of the state legislature from 1857 to 1861, and in 1864, he was elected to congress and served several terms; was elected to the U. S. senate in 1881 and again in 1887. He died in Oshkosh. March 29, 1900. He was married in 1811, to Miss Melvina M. Hadley.
Saxeville, a postoffice of 85 people on the Pine river in Wau- shara county, 16 miles northeast of Wautoma, the county seat.
Saxon, a post village of 350 people on the D. S. S. & A. Ry. where it touches the C. & N. W. Ry. in Iron county, 12 miles west of ITurley, the county seat.
Sayner, a post town of 50 people and a popular resort of tourists. It is situated on Plum Lake in Vilas county, and is a station on the C., M. & St. I'. Ry., 26 miles northwest of Eagle River, the county seat.
Scandal, Land Grant,-During the administration of Governor Bashford in 1857 there were rumors of corruption among the legis- lators touching the disposing of a certain railway land grant. Gov- ernor Randall's first message to the legislature of 1858 referred to the rumors and recommended the appointment of an investigating committee. On May 13 following the committee thus appointed made a voluminous report implicating 13 state senators, 50 mem- bers of the assembly, also the state bank comptroller, the lieutenant governor, the private secretary of the governor, three officers of the assembly, 23 persons engaged in lobbying, and a justice of the supreme court. The governor himself did not escape. In 1859 ex-Gov. Bashford, then out of the state, sent a communication to 22
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the legislature asking an investigation to clear up the rumors about himself. A committee was appointed and it found that Bashford had received without payment 50 bonds from the interested rail- way company, after the land grant had been disposed of, but with- out having had any agreement or understanding with the company. The committee criticised Bashford for accepting such gratuity but exonerated him from the charge of having been influenced in his action toward the bill by the gratuity which came to him unsought. The tand grants involved were made by congress in 1856,-one for building a line from Madison to Columbus via Portage and the St. Croix river to Bayfield; the other for a line from Fond du Lac to some point on the Michigan line.
Scandal, School Land .- In 1856 the legislature appointed a com- mittee to investigate the books of the secretary of state and the state treasurer "from the beginning of the state government to the present time" to ascertain what disposition was being made of the school lands and the receipt's from the sale of the same. The com- mittee reported to the effect that "almost hopeless confusion was found in the books of the treasurer and land commissioners, that the state officials had been permitted to draw money in anticipa- tion of their salaries, leaving only memoranda as equivalent; that the state treasurer was a defaulter to the general fund in the sum of $31,318.54, and that school and university funds had been reck- lessly loaned on insufficient security to friends of the state officers, -in short that thousands of dollars belonging to those funds had been squandered by the officials." There is no record that any action was taken as a result of the report.
Scandinavia, an incorporated village on the south fork of the Little Wolf river and a station on the G. B. & W. R. R. in Wau- paca county, 8 miles northwest of Waupaca, the county seat. Its population of 355 supports a bank.
Schaack, a country postoffice and station on the W. C. Ry. in Taylor county, 20 miles northeast of Medford, the county seat.
Schiller, a country postoffice of Brown county, 12 miles cast of Green Bay, the county seat.
Schipicoten River, Indian name for Root river. (q. v.)
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Schleisingerville, an incorporated village in Washington county, on the W. C. and the C., M. & St. P. Rys., 12 miles southwest of West Bend, the county seat. It was settled in 1843. The popu- lation of 488 supports a German weekly newspaper, the Botschaf- ter.
Schleswig, a discontinued postoffice in Manitowoc county.
Schofield, an incorporated village of Marathon county, on the Eau Claire river and the C., M. & St. P. Ry., 3 miles south of Wau- sau, the county seat. It has a population of 744.
School Alliance, Wisconsin, was organized in Milwaukee in 1897, its purpose being to practically promote the welfare of the public schools of Milwaukee, by investigating conditions and studying methods of instruction.
School for the Blind, State .- Sce Reformatory, Charitable and Penal Institutions.
School for Boys, Industrial .- See Reformatory, Charitable and Penal Institutions.
School for Girls, Industrial .- See Reformatory, Charitable and Penal Institutions.
School Hill, a discontinued postoffice in Manitowoc county.
Schools, Common .- The present common school system of the state dates from 1848. At the head of it is the state superintend- ent of public instruction who, since the adoption of an amendment to the constitution in 1904, is elected for four years, the election be- ing held in the spring. At first the public school system was super- vised by town superintendents. Their work was in part advisory, but they had power to issue teachers' certificates. In 1861, a law was enacted creating the office of county superintendent. There are now 73 of these in the state, two counties having two each. They are elected for two years and the election takes place in the spring. They have power to grant certificates, must visit each school in the county at least once each year and advise concern- ing courses of study, discipline, management and also advise school boards as to buildings, grounds, etc. There are in Wisconsin 57 cities where schools are conducted under city superintendents ; and 6 963 districts under the supervision of county superintendents. On
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June 30, 1905, there were 773,857 children of school age (4 to 20) in the state. The compulsory school law of 1905 requires that all persons between 7 and 14 residing outside of cities shall attend school at least 32 weeks, including legal holidays, each year; and those of the same ages in cities shall attend for the full school year. (In both cases either parochial, private or public school will answer.) The total enrollment of children of school age in the state for the year ending June 30, 1905, was 464,545 in the public schools. The number of children in the state between 7 and 14 is 367,376. There are 7,453 school buildings in Wisconsin with a seating capacity of 553,101. The total expenditures for the com- mon schools for the year ending June 30, 1905, was $8,599,102.45 The sources of the common school income are: The state tax of 7/10 of a mill on the assessed value of the property in the state; the legislative appropriations for high schools and graded schools (the latter has been made since 1901); interest on the common school fund (this fund was secured from the sale of lands granted for the purpose by the Federal government) ; taxes levied at annual or special school district meetings; taxes levied at annual town meetings; taxes levied by the county board of supervisors ; and the clear penal fines collected. Of the 6,863 districts under the supervision of county superintendents 2,178 are reported as hav- ing free text books. The average wages paid to male teachers is $55.50 per month and to female teachers $35.26 per month. In 1885 the average paid to male teachers was $11.75 and to female teachers $25,20 per month. There are 218 free and 15 independent high schools in the state. The total attendance at the free high schools for 1901 was 18,044. The independent high schools are not directly under state supervision.
Schools, District .- See Common Schools.
Schools, Normal .- It was not until 1857 that the legislature took advantage of the constitutional provision for the endowment of normal schools by enacting "That the income of 25 per cent of the gross proceeds arising from the sale of swamp and overflowed lands" should be applied to the support of normal institutes and academies under the supervision and direction of a board of regents
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of normal schools, in accordance with the provisions of the act. Under this law the income was distributed between such colleges and academies and high schools as maintained a normal class. In 1866 the board of regents of normal schools was 'acorporated. In February of that year Platteville was conditionally selected as the site for the first school, the academy there having been donated for the purpose. The normal school opened Oct. 9, 1866. The total fund for maintenance of normal schools was then $600,000 with an annual income of $30,000. In March, 1866, the regents selected Whitewater as the site of the second normal school. A building was subsequently erected there and the school was opened April 21, 1868. In 1870 a new normal school building was erected in Oshkosh and the school there opened the following year. The fourth normal school opened at River Falls in 1875. The fifth school opened in Milwaukee on Sept. 14, 1885. The sixth, located at Stevens Point, opened Sept. 17, 1894; and Sept. 8, 1896, the sev- enth school opened at Superior. The legislature of 1905 took the preliminary steps toward locating the eighth school at La Crosse. The law under which normal schools are organized provided that 'the exclusive purpose and objects of each normal school shall be the instruction and training of persons, both male and female, in the theory and art of teaching and in all the various branches that pertain to common school education, and in all needful subjects to qualify for teaching in the public schools; also to give instruction in the fundamental laws of the United States and of this state in what regards the rights and duties of citizens." Since their es- tablishment the norma! schools have graduated about 6,000 stu-' dents of which over 4,000 were of the advanced grades. The total attendance since the hrst school was opened is about 24,000. The total attendance in the normal training department in 1905 was about 2,500, and the total attendance in all departments about 4,000. It costs approximately $375,000 a year to carry on these schools, of which muc the larger part comes from the annual tax levy. The normal school fano yields an annual income of about $90,000; about $25,000 comes from tuition, fees, etc. The chief expenditure is for teachers' salaries, which amount to over $230,000 a year.
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School Taxation, County .- The laws of 1903 limit county boards from levying taxes for school purposes at a rate above 1/2 of 1 per centum on the total assessed valuation as fixed by the state board of equalization, except where it is necessary to pay indebtedness incurred prior to the passage of the law. The total levy in any year for erecting school buildings, the maintenance of teachers and incidental expenses must not exceed 2 per centum of the total as- sessed valuation for the preceding year.
Schooner Cummings, Loss of .- During a terrific northeast storm the schooner Cummings, coal laden, foundered on May 18, 1894, in Milwaukee Bay and went to the bottom with her crew of six men.
Schultz, a post station on the I. C. Ry. in Green county. Monroe, the county seat, is 7 miles distant.
Schurz, Carl, a statesman and publicist who came to Wiscon- sin with many other "forty-eighters" and settled in Watertown, and in after years became the most distinguished of all the German immigrants who left the fatherland for political reasons. Ilis first appearance in politics in Wisconsin was a candidate for lieutenant governor in the republican state convention in 1837. Schurz was but 26 when he settled in Watertown. Sherman M. Booth made the nominating speech, placing him before the convention as a candidate for lieutenant governor. Nine-tenths of the delegates present had never heard of Schurz, but he received the nomination with Alexander Randall at the head of the ticket. Randall was elected but Schurz was defeated. Two years later he was in- duced to become a candidate for governor against Randall, and was defeated. This embittered him for a time, but later he took the stump for Lincoln. The latter appointed him minister to Spain, but he soon resigned that position to enter the army where he ren- dered distinguished services. He did not return to Wisconsin but settled in Missouri. He was elected U. S. senator from that state, and in 1877 was made a member of President Hayes' cabinet. He died at his home in New York City, May 14, 1906.
Scofield, Edward, governor of Wisconsin for two terms, was born in Clearfield county, Pa., March 28, 1812. He received a good
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academic education and at the age of 18 enlisted in the 11th Penn- sylvania reserves. He served with distinction throughout the War of Secession. In the battle of the Wilderness he was taken prisoner, and was released March 5, 1865. Upon his return north I was breveted major. He came west in 1868 and engaged in the lumbering business in Wisconsin. He was elected state sena- tor in 1892 and in 1896 was elected governor by a plurality of 93,724 and re-elected in 1898.
Scott, a discontinued postoffice in Sheboygan county.
Seabird, Burning of .- The steamer Seabird was burned on Lake Michigan, April 8 ,1868, and all on board but two persons lost their lives, including the crew.
Sechlerville, a postoffice of 75 people on the Trempealeau river in Jackson county, 12 miles northwest of Black River Falls, the county seat. It was formerly called Curran.
Secretary to Governor, Private .- This office was created in 1854. With it are joined the offices of military secretary and aide de camp of the commander-in-chief of the state militia. The latter carries the rank of colonel. The salary for the three offices is $2,800. The private secretary bears about the same relation to the governor as the assistant secretary of state bears to his chief, excepting that the office of private secretary carries no legal authority to act offi- cially in place of the governor.
Secretary of State .- The secretary of state is a constitutional of- ficer whose duty it is to keep "a fair record of the official acts of the legislative and executive departments of state, and shall, when required, lay the same and all matters relative thereto before either branch of the legislature. He shall be ex-officio auditor, and shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned him by law." The secretary of state is elected every two years at the same time as members of the legislature. His compensation is fixed by the legis- lature at $5,000 per annum.
Semi-Centennial Celebration,-On June 7, 1898, Wisconsin cele- brated the 50th anniversary of her admission to the union. The chief celebration was at Madison where the historical society ar- ranged the program. There were guests from the four other sta'es
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carved out of the Northwest territory, and soldiers, women's clubs, press clubs, legislators, churches and athletic organizations held re- unions and celebrated in their various ways. The exercises con- tinued through the 7th, 8th and 9th of June.
Seminaries, Colleges, etc., in Wisconsin, List of .- Altogether there are 17 in the state, not including the University of Wisconsin. The names, location, date of founding, the number of students and the denominations follow: Beloit college, Beloit (1837), 224 stu- dents, undenominational; Concordia college, Milwaukee (1881), 249 students, Lutheran ; College of Sacred Ileart, Prairie du Chien (1880), 106 students, Roman Catholic; Evansville seminary, Evans- ville (1854), 136 students, Free Methodist; Lawrence university, Appleton (1846), 400 students, interdenominational; Marquette college, Milwaukee (1864), 277 students, Roman Catholic; Mil- ton college, Milton (1867), 38 students, 7th Day Adventist ; Milton academy, Milton (1848), 63 students, 7th Day Adventist ; Milwau- kee academy, Milwaukee (1864), 108 students, non sectarian ; Milwaukee-Downer college, Milwaukee (1895), 353 students, non- sectarian ; Mission House of the Reformed Church of the United States, Franklin (1859), 82 students, Reformed church; Northwes- tern university, Watertown (1852), 250 students, German Lutheran ; North Wisconsin academy, Ashland (1892), 79 students, Congrega- tional; Poynette academy, Poynette (1884), 58 students, Presby- terian; St. Lawrence college, Mt. Calvary (1861), 101 students, Roman Catholic; St. Clara college, Sinsinawa (1854), 215 students, Roman Catholic; Sacred Heart college, Watertown (1872), 70 stu- dents, Roman Catholic; St. Mary's academy, Prairie du Chien (1822), 52 students, Roman Catholic. The total attendance for 1903-04 was 2,651.
Seneca, a post village with a population of 200 in Crawford county, 22 miles northeast of Prairie du Chien, the county seat.
Sextonville, a post town of 150 people on Willow creek, a water power stream, in Richland county. Richland Center, the county seat, is 7 miles to the northwest.
Seymour, an incorporated city in Outagamie county on the G. B. & W. R R., 23 miles northwest of Appleton, the county scat.
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The city was settled in 1871 and today has a population of 1,118 which supports a bank and a weekly newspaper, the Press.
Shamrock, a postoffice of 100 people on Robinson creek, in Jack- son county, 11 miles south of Black River Falls, the county seat.
Shanagolden, a post village of 300 population on the east branch of the Chippewa river in Ashland county. Ashland, the county seat, is 45 miles to the north.
Shantytown, a country postoffice in Marathon county, 26 miles southeast of Wausau, the county seat.
Sharon, an incorporated village in Walworth county, on the C. & N. W. Ry., 18 miles southwest of Elkhorn, the county seat. The village was settled in 1843 and now has a population of 929, which supports a weekly newspaper, the Reporter, and a bank.
Shaw, a discontinued postoffice in Eau Claire county.
Shaw, Geo. B., was born in Alma, Allegany county, N. Y., March 12, 1854 and came to Wisconsin a few years later. He was elected from the then seventh district to the house of representatives of the 53d congress as a republican. Ile died Aug. 27, 1891, before the expiration of his term.
Shawano .- This city is the county seat of the county of the same name. It is on the Wolf river and the C. & N. W. Ry. The river supplies power for the manufacturing of lumber. There are two banks and three weekly newspapers, the Shawano County Journal, the Shawano County Advocate, and the Volksbote-Wochenblatt, are published. The city has a population of 2.446.
Shawano County is in the northeastern part of the state, getting its name from a tribe of Indians. It was organized in 1856. The soil in the county is a clayey loam with a tract of sandy soil pass- ing north and south through the central portion, and rather large tracts of swamp land. Its area is 1,152 square miles and its popu- lation (1905) 31.037. The city of Shawano is the county scat.
Shawano, Lake, is in Shawcino county. Cecil is the nearest rail- road station.
Sheboygan,-This is a city of 21,026 population, at the mouth of the Sheboygan river on Lake Michigan, and the county seat of the county of the same name. The C. & N. W. Ry. furnishes railroad
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transportation facilities. The city was incorporated in 1853. She- boygan is known as the banner chair-manufacturing city of the country. There are three substantial banks and the newspapers published are the Journal and the Telegram (both dailies), the Zeitung (daily and semi-weekly), the National Demokrat (German semi-weekly), and the Herald and the Star (weeklies).
Sheboygan County is in the eastern part of the state, the name being Indian for "a river of great noise." It was a territorial county having been organized in 1836. The 1905 census gave it a population of 52,070; its area is 515 square miles. The city of Sheboygan is the county seat.
Sheboygan Falls is an incorporated village on the Sheboygan river in Sheboygan county and a station on the C. & N. W. Ry., 5 miles west of Sheboygan, the county seat. Incorporated in 1854, its present population is 1,411. The village contains two banks.
Sheepbreeders' Association, The, was organized at Whitewater in January, 1877. It attracted a good deal of attention for several years but when the Merino sheep industry began to decline interest in it lessened. The last meeting of the association was held in 1900.
Shell Lake,-This place, settled first in 1878 and platted in 1881, is the county seat of Washburn county. It is a station on the C., St. P., M. & O. Ry., and is located on the west bank of Shell lake. The population of 1,137 supports a bank and two weekly newspapers, the Watchman and the Washburn County Register.
Shennington, a post town of 100 people on the C. & N. W. Ry. and the Beaver river in Monroe county, 24 miles east of Sparta, the county seat.
Sheridan, a postoffice of 75 people on the W. C. Ry. in Waupaca county, 8 miles northwest of Waupaca, the county seat.
Sherman, a country postoffice of Waupaca county. Waupaca, the county seat, is 8 miles to the southeast. .
Sherry, a post town of 200 people in Wood county on the W. C. Ry., 17 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, the county seat.
Sherwood, a postoffice of 100 population at the junction of the C., M. & St. P. and the W. C. Rys. in Calumet county, 13 miles northwest of Chilton, the county seat.
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Shiocton, a post village with a population of 600 on the G. B. & W. R. R. and the Wolf river in Outagamie county, 20 miles northwest of Appleton, the county seat. The village contains a bank and a weekly newspaper, the News.
Shirley, a postoffice of 25 people in Brown county. Green Bay, the county seat, is 13 miles to the north.
Shopiere, a post village on Turtle creek and a station on the C. & N. W. Ry. in Rock county, 11 miles south of Janesville, the county seat. It has a population of 300.
Shores' Landing .- An historic point on the west end of Che- quamegon bay at the mouth of Whittlesey's creek. Radisson and Groseilliers, the French explorers, who built the first structure by white men on Wisconsin soil, constructed a fort in 1659-60 at or near this point.
Shorthorn Breeders' Association .- This association was organ- ized Feb. 4, 1885, and has a membership of nearly 100 prominent shorthorn breeders. It appropriates $250 each year to the state board of agriculture for increasing premiums on shorthorn classes at the state fair.
Shoto, a discontinued postoffice in Manitowoc county.
Shullsburg, a city incorporated as such in 1888 whose popula- tion is now 1,153. It is on the C., M. & St. P. Ry. It is io La Fayette county, 12 miles southwest of Darlington, the county seat. One weekly newspaper, the Pick and Gad, is published, and there is one bank.
Siebecker, Robert George, associate justice of the Wisconsin su- preme court, was born Oct. 17, 1854, in Sauk county. He was grad- uated from the University of Wisconsin in 1878 and from the law school in 1880. In January, 1890, he was appointed circuit judge and served in that capacity until his appointment by Gov. La Fol- lette to the supreme bench. After his appointment, which was to fill out an unexpired term, he was elected for the full term of ten years.
Sigel, a discontinued postoffice in La Crosse county.
Silica, a postoffice of 40 people on the C. & N. W. Ry. in Fond
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du Lac county, 8 miles northeast of Fond du Lac, the county seat It was formerly called Summit Station.
Silver Creek, a discontinued postoffice in Sheboygan county.
Silver Lake, a post village of 250 people on the W. C. Ry. and the Fox river in Kenosha county, 22 miles west of Kenosha, the county seat.
Silver Spring, a discontinued postoffice in Milwaukee county.
. Sinsinawa, a country postoffice of Grant county. Lancaster, the county seat, is 25 miles to the northwest. It is near here the St. Clara college (Catholic) is located.
Sioska, a discontinued postoffice in Barron county.
Siren, a country postoffice of Burnett county. Grantsburg, the county seat, is 16 miles to the west.
Sister Bay, a postoffice on Green Bay in Door county, 36 miles north of Sturgeon Bay, the county seat.
Slades Corners, a post village of 50 people in Kenosha county, 26 miles west of Kenosha, the county seat.
Slavery, in Wisconsin, Negro .- The records show that as many as 17 negro slaves were at various times brought to Fort Crawford by army officers; two were held at Green Bay and one at Fort Winnebago. Except at the military posts, however, the lead re- gions were the only parts of what is now Wisconsin in which negro slaves were kept for labor. In all between 60 and 70 were brought to Wisconsin in territorial days at different times and nearly all were taken back ultimately to the southern states.
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